DPTAC Main Committee meeting minutes June 2025
Updated 1 October 2025
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10:30am to 3:30pm, Wednesday 18 June 2025, Department for Transport (DfT) London office and online.
Attendees
DPTAC: Matthew Campbell-Hill (Chair), Sue Sharp (Deputy Chair), Mike Brace CBE DL, Mark Cutter, Carly Jones MBE, Mary Doyle, Paul Finnegan, Mari Martiskainen, Bryan Matthews, Rachael Mole, Ruth Murran, David Sindall, Zamila Skingsley and Edward Trewhella.
Officials: DfT Aviation Consumer Policy, DfT Accessible Travel Policy, Integrated National Transport Strategy team, Liz Wilson (Deputy Director, Accessibility, Community Transport, Coaches and Taxis Division), DfT Rail Reform Legislation Policy, DfT Rail Reform Engagement, DPTAC Secretariat.
Guests: Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE.
Apologies: Damian Bridgeman, Niki Glazier, Miro Griffiths, Maral Nozratzadeh.
Welcome, conflicts of interest and minutes of previous main meeting
The Chair welcomed everyone and asked for new real, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest. Members shared their new conflicts of interest.
The minutes from the previous meeting were agreed without revision.
Ways of working update
The Chair provided an overview of the work programme, explaining its structure and the ongoing pieces of work.
Integrated National Transport Strategy (INTS)
Integrated National Transport Strategy (INTS) team provided an update on progress made since the March DPTAC meeting, including engagement activities and the focus on people and integration.
The outcomes of the People’s Panel sessions, which included discussions with seldom heard and underrepresented groups, were discussed. The sessions provided insight into the barriers and issues faced by these groups, which will be considered in the development of the strategy.
The committee members provided feedback on the strategic framework, emphasising the importance of clear language, integration, accountability and the need to consider the whole journey experience for disabled people.
Railways bill consultation
The head of DfT rail reform legislation policy provided an update on the draft Railways Bill consultation response, explaining the structure of the document and the key points. The importance of accessibility was highlighted and key accessibility-related commitments were discussed.
Aviation Task and Finish Group report
Baroness Grey-Thompson led a discussion of the work of the Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group, highlighting the challenges faced and the status of the draft recommendations.
She emphasised the difficulties faced by disabled passengers, which formed the evidence base used by the group, including the inconsistent use of lanyards, training of assistance staff and challenges with electric wheelchairs and batteries. The importance of practical solutions and better information sharing was highlighted.
The challenges in making complaints and the need for better data gathering and communication within the aviation industry were discussed.
The inconsistent handling of medical devices and assistance dogs by airlines was also discussed.
Transport Select Committee (TSC) accessibility inquiry – departmental response
Liz Wilson, Deputy Director for Accessibility, Coaches, Community Transport and Taxis (ACT), was joined by the head of accessible travel to provide the committee with an update on the department’s response to the recommendations of the TSC inquiry. The committee was advised on how its advice on the recommendations made by the TSC to ministers informed their considerations on the matter.
The committee was advised that the departmental response had been returned to the TSC in line with statutory timelines and that the department was now developing a work programme to guide the delivery of the commitments made in response to the inquiry’s recommendations.
The committee was told it would be kept fully abreast of the implementation of this work programme, with its advice sought on policy development and implementation as appropriate to its remit and capacity.
Next meeting
The next DPTAC main meeting is scheduled for 17 September 2025.